Disclaimer: I own nothing but a half eaten box of crackers and a statue of a snowman. The characters in this story with the exception of Jules Archer and Maxwell Shepard do not belong to me. They are the intellectual property of Ken Corday and Days of Our Lives.
Chapter 6: Sisterly Advice
With Little V carefully tucked away in the back seat, Belle tried to gather her scattered thoughts together. Chloe was happy with her life. They had talked with each other like old times, and she was great with Little V. The boy had taken quite a shine to his "Aunt Chloe," and Belle felt a twinge of regret that she hadn't tried harder to remain in touch with her.
Today had been a real eye-opener for her. Belle was shocked by the tension in the air between her friend and her brother. Had that always been there? Belle remembered that years ago, right after Chloe had been diagnosed with leukemia, her brother had off-handedly admitted that he was in love. Unfortunately, Belle had been so preoccupied by her relationship with Shawn that she hadn't paid much attention to what was going on around her. The truth was that Belle didn't want to get too involved with Chloe and Brady's budding relationship, whatever it may be. She was too close to the situation, too close to the people, and wouldn't be able to maintain an unbiased viewpoint. As much as Belle wanted Chloe to confide in and reach out to her, Belle couldn't help feeling relieved that she didn't. Belle's big heart hated to see people get hurt, and in the Chloe-Phillip-Brady situation hurt was unavoidable. Someone was bound to end up unhappy, and Belle couldn't bear to see her brother or her friends that way.
Chloe had purged Phillip from her own life, and Belle had stood by her decision. For a long time, Belle secretly waited for some sort of announcement from Brady and Chloe, but it never came. Belle went away to college, then Chloe went away to college, and then Brady left for London. They drifted in their own unique directions like ships leaving from the same port.
Belle's curiosity gnawed at her. Motherhood and adult life had washed all the subtlety from Belle. "Brady why didn't anything ever happened between you and Chloe?" she asked bluntly.
"What!?!" Brady gasped veering dangerously on the road.
"Be careful!" Belle yelled.
Brady readjusted and quickly slowed. "Sorry."
Belle stood her ground. "You didn't answer my question," she pointed out.
Brady shifted uncomfortably in his seat. "Well…um…you see…"
"You mean something did happen between you and Chloe?" she interrupted.
"Yes," Brady admitted.
"I can't believe you didn't tell me," Belle said incredulously, "I can't believe that she didn't tell me."
"Listen Belle," Brady sadly explained, "It was a long time ago. It was never anything official, and it never really went anywhere."
"So you just had a little fling with my best friend? Is that it?" Belle demanded. Her ire was beginning to rise involuntarily.
"God Belle, No," Brady blurted. "It was…it was like one moment we were together, and then we weren't."
Belle didn't understand, but she doubted Brady did either. "Did you love her?" He didn't answer, but she could see the muscles of his jaw working. His silence answered for him. Belle felt her heart break for her brother. "What happened?" she asked quietly.
"I honestly don't know," Brady confessed. "She went back to college. I went to England. Our lives just took us in different directions."
"Did you even try, Brady?" Belle demanded.
"What I was supposed to do?" Brady returned defensively.
"I'm not stupid Brady," Belle spit back, "I know that you didn't have to go to England. Dad could have sent Kate or Carrie."
"Dad needed me over there," Brady insisted.
"No he didn't," Belle argued, "You were running, just like you always do. I bet you never even told Chloe how you felt."
Belle could tell from Brady's expression that she had hit upon the truth. Her anger rose as he responded, "We had an understanding."
"You had an understanding," Belle uttered, stunned, "God, that's the most idiotic thing I've ever heard. If you love someone, you tell him or her."
"Chloe and I didn't work like that," Brady rationalized, "Not everyone marries their childhood sweetheart Belle."
"Brady, I'm sorry, but that's bull shit. You were there. You know what Shawn and I went through to be together," Belle lectured, "But we never gave up! We never turned tail and ran. You should be glad that you have a second chance!"
Brady's bemusement showed in his voice, "What do you mean?"
"For a smart man Brady," Belle quipped, "You can be so dense. Chloe is single…you're single. Are the dots starting to connect? Do have any idea how lucky you are that she's even in Salem now?"
"What do you mean?" He was starting to sound like a broken record.
"Look, Chloe told me about the process they use to find residencies for medical graduates," Belle explained, "The number of people looking far exceeds the number of positions. She could have been placed anywhere in the country, and she would have had to go. A residency program is three…four years long, and then there's another three years fellowship in her specialty. In case you can't do the math, Brady, that's seven more years. I don't need to tell you that a lot can happen in seven years. Maybe, just maybe, after that time she would have returned to Salem. Then again, maybe you would never see her again. Is that something you could have lived with, Brady?"
Brady remained silent, but Belle could feel that she was reaching him. She continued, "You obviously are still interested in her, and there is nothing standing between you two anymore. Life goes on whether you like it or not. If you miss this opportunity, you may never get another."
As Brady pulled into her driveway, his mental duress was palatable. "What do I do?" he finally asked brokenly.
Belle just smiled as she opened her car door. "Well Brady, you could start by asking her out."